Lily Bud, Cloud Ear Mushroom and Sweet Pepper Stir-Fried Chicken

Why people make this dish

Dried lily buds — sometimes called “golden needles” (jin zhen) or “day lily buds” — have a delicate, slightly earthy flavour and a pleasantly chewy texture that pairs beautifully with the silky, tender chicken in this classic Cantonese stir-fry. The dish is a reminder that food-therapy cooking does not have to be limited to soups and teas — it can be a delicious, everyday plate of vegetables and protein.

Bro Niu notes an important point for anyone who can find fresh lily buds at a market: unlike the dried version, fresh lily buds contain colchicine, a naturally occurring compound that can cause gastrointestinal distress if the buds are not properly soaked or thoroughly cooked. The drying process greatly reduces this compound — which is also the reason why traditional herbalists value dried lily buds more highly for their medicinal use. The dried variety is safe, convenient, and cancer-research associations with dried lily buds are among the reasons Bro Niu recommends them enthusiastically.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for the whole family as a nourishing everyday stir-fry
• Traditional food therapy considers this dish particularly helpful for those experiencing general weakness, insufficient liver and kidney energy, lower back aches, breast tenderness, or nervous exhaustion
• Always use dried lily buds, pre-soaked in water; if fresh lily buds are used, soak thoroughly and cook completely through to reduce the colchicine content
• Do not eat lily buds that smell acidic or have an unusual odour — this may indicate sulphur-bleaching by vendors; rinse thoroughly before use

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Dried lily buds (jin zhen): Also known as “forget-sorrow grass” (wang you cao) in traditional poetry; associated with calming the mind, improving sleep, stopping bleeding, and clearing damp heat; the natural colchicine compound, while requiring careful handling in fresh form, is associated with inhibiting cancer cell growth in dried form — Bro Niu considers dried lily buds an excellent anti-cancer food
• Cloud ear mushroom (yun er): A close relative of black wood ear; in traditional food therapy, associated with nourishing the blood and strengthening the body; pairs well with vegetables or meat
• Sweet peppers: Colourful and rich in vitamin C; considered mild and warming in nature; add crunch and visual appeal
• Chicken thigh (ji tui rou): More flavourful and moist than breast; marinating in egg white and salt before cooking creates a silky texture

Ingredients (2–3 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Dried lily buds	~30 g	Soak in water, remove tough ends
Dried cloud ear mushroom	~15 g dry	Soak until expanded, remove stems and discard base
Green sweet pepper	1/2 piece	Deseeded, cut into chunks
Red sweet pepper	1/2 piece	Deseeded, cut into chunks
Chicken thigh meat	2 thighs	Deboned
Ginger	a few slices	Cut into thin strips
Spring onion	a few stalks	Cut into sections
Egg white	1	For marinating chicken
Salt	to taste
Cooking wine	a splash

Method

1. Debone the chicken thighs and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Marinate with egg white, salt, and any preferred seasonings for 30 minutes — this is the key to achieving silky, tender chicken.
2. Soak the dried lily buds until fully rehydrated; trim and discard the tough ends and any parts that look dark. Soak the cloud ear mushrooms until expanded; remove the stems and cut off the tough base. Cut the sweet peppers into chunks.
3. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry the ginger strips until fragrant.
4. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until the outside is lightly seared.
5. Add the lily buds, cloud ear mushrooms, and sweet peppers. Splash in the cooking wine.
6. Add a small amount of water and seasoning. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through.
7. Add the spring onion sections and toss briefly. Serve immediately.

Bro Niu’s tips

The secret to silky chicken in a stir-fry is always the marinade — egg white and salt, at minimum 30 minutes before cooking. This dish benefits those with general weakness, liver and kidney deficiency, lower back aches, breast tenderness, and nervous exhaustion. If your lily buds smell acidic, check whether they have been treated with sulphur or bleach: rinse them thoroughly in multiple changes of water. When purchasing, pick buds that smell naturally earthy and mild; reject any with a chemical or fermented odour.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (问题多多): Why do lily buds sometimes have a sour smell? Bro Niu: Lily buds discolour and spoil easily, so unscrupulous vendors sometimes bleach or sulphur-treat them. You must soak and rinse them several times before using. When buying, always smell them first — if there is any sour or unusual smell, do not buy them.

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Published July 22, 2015 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.